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David Poland

By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

BYOB Weekend

I know… it’s been a rather slow blog week for me… and Bermuda is just a week away…
Here is some space for y’all to put up when I shut up…

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69 Responses to “BYOB Weekend”

  1. mutinyco says:

    All right. This long and no comments. Representin’ for the Brews…

  2. Joe Leydon says:

    Saturday Night Live reruns the Tina Fey show — yeah, the one with “Bitch is the new black” — tonight.

  3. Blackcloud says:

    Anyone else thing the NCAA has been fairly dull so far, despite the two buzzer beaters? Anyone else here watching the NCAA?

  4. Me says:

    The wife and I watched The Valley of Elah today, and I was surprised at how good it was. A gripping murder mystery, and an interesting take on post-war life. It was a bit overdone in parts, but for the most part, I liked it.
    On the topic of political films, we watched Rendition last week, and it was awful. The script was way too morally upright, there was the largest gaping plothole I may have ever seen in a movie, and then they decided to get tricky with a twist ending that pretty much sealed the deal as a howlingly bad movie. Avoid this one.
    Now it’s on to the five-hour A Town Like Alice miniseries, which really needs to be brought to DVD.

  5. SJRubinstein says:

    I, too, liked “Elah” when I first saw it – until the last minute or so when it stopped being a well-made thriller and became a “Crash”-esque ‘statement’ movie. Kind of a victim of hype/”Crash” backlash as I think there are a lot of people that would dig the thing if they gave it a shot.
    And just saw Tracy Letts’ “August: Osage County” tonight on Broadway. Holy shit – Horton Foote on crack. Such an amazing show with great performances all around. Definitely one to check out while avoiding “Young Frankenstein” at all costs. “Seafarer’s” pretty great, too.

  6. THX5334 says:

    Anyone else psyched for the 4th season premiere of Battlestar? I’m digging the “12 disciple” billboards they have around here in LA.
    Also I bit the bullet on the HD-DVD Ultimate Blade Runner. I figured it’d be a fitting final purchase in honor of the format. It’s only $45 on Amazon. And is made from all the same codec as the Blu-Ray.
    Of course, it’s gorgeous.
    I have a PS3, and enjoy Blu-Ray, but as I said before, it’s an older model with more features that isn’t available anymore so I don’t want to wear out the drive.
    So any new HD titles that are on both formats, I’m grabbing them on HD-DVD.
    Again, I still fear now that Blu-Ray has won the war; they’re going to double dip on every title that was released on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray that is out now that used the studio mandated codec that made each format indistinguishable from the other.
    With Blu-Ray’s extra storage space over HD-DVD, they might come up with an even better looking transfer for these current and future titles.
    I guess if they do at least with Blade Runner, that will affect current Blu-Ray owners too, so if it does happen, I’ll just dump this one for the Blu-Ray 2.0 version (if they ever make one).
    And even though HD-DVD is dead, I’m pretty sure
    the player I have now and the closed box one I’m gonna stash in the closet will last until everything gets to 1080p digital downloads in a flash..
    In terms of Blade Runner, a query:
    I am with Harrison Ford and do believe it services the story better that Deckard is a human and not a replicant.
    And my girlfriend has never seen Blade Runner, hence the reason for the purchase. I’m trying to decide which cut to show her…
    The newest and most visually arresting?
    Or the cut that best presents Deckard as a human and not a replicant?

  7. Blackcloud says:

    I saw the so-called final cut last November when it was playing in theaters. I didn’t see anything in it that supports the theory that Deckard is a replicant. It’s very flimsy even with the unicorn. It was my first time seeing the movie, so I can’t speak to the previous versions.

  8. But the man says they can look into the dreams of replicants and Deckard dreams of a unicorn. The theory that Deckard is then a replicant is pretty strong, if you ask me.
    Also, “there was the largest gaping plothole I may have ever seen in a movie,” you obviously haven’t seen the remake of The Stepford Wives. There is absolutely no beating that plothole.

  9. LexG says:

    What did you do today to be SUPERIOR, to OWN THE WORLD?
    Are you content with going through life being mediocre, never attaining fame, money or power?
    Are you just AVERAGE?
    ALL MEN SHOULD RISE UP AND BE A GOD.
    There are people FUCKING MODELS right now, people FUCKING ACTRESSES RIGHT NOW. How can you live with yourself, not doing that when another man can? Do you just accept your mediocrity? Are you OK with being FORGETTABLE and WEAK?
    Where is your RAGE? How can anyone be complacent with anything other than COMPLETE OWNAGE? BE A MAN. BE A G0D. You are not getting any YOUNGER.

  10. LexG says:

    Does anyone else watch BIG BROTHER>?
    FUCK, Sharon is the most BORING PERSON EVER.
    EVICT HER, Baller.

  11. jeffmcm says:

    THX, I prefer the “Deckard is human” version too.
    I hated Elah from beginning to end.
    Lex, is there some way I can punch you in the face? I would enjoy that.

  12. LexG says:

    Why, because I hit too close to home in my attempts to make men realize they are settling for less? I’ve humored you repeatedly around here and have defended you at least once, maybe more, so what’s with that question?
    And what makes you think you wouldn’t get your ass OWNED? Not that you’d dare. Believe that.

  13. jeffmcm says:

    No, because you’re a retarded attention-vampire who thinks he’s funny when he’s not. Give me an address, that’s all I ask.

  14. jeffmcm says:

    Seriously, you should welcome someone who is taking you at your word. MAN OWNS! and whatnot.

  15. LexG says:

    Seriously, jeff, I have a billion awesome retorts I could make here, but for once I’ll take the high road and ask you to ponder just what’s going on with YOU if you’re seriously asking to throw down at the local park fountain like the fucking Outsiders over posts on a message board that having nothing to do with you.
    Combine that with the fact that multiple posters have asked you not to so much as address them… think MAYBE you’re a little off-putting?

  16. jeffmcm says:

    The posters you refer to are assholes, and you are a million times more annoying than anything I have never said.

  17. jeffmcm says:

    So the point is, maybe you should shut the F up? Maybe? Please.

  18. jeffmcm says:

    So I guess Man isn’t so much of a GOD after all.

  19. movieman says:

    Does anyone know what became of the terrific late 70s/early 80s actor John Friedrich? Friedrich is probably best known-if he’s known at all today–as Joey from Phil Kaufman’s “The Wanderers.” But he also had significant roles in an overlooked ’78 gem (“Almost Summer” with Bruno Kirby), played the love interest of Debra Winger in her “official” screen debut (the delicious disco kitsch-fest “Thank God It’s Friday”) and–another underrated, worthy-of-rediscovery-movie–Rob Cohen’s first film as a director, 1980’s “A Small Circle of Friends” with Brad Davis and the post-“Animal House”/pre-“Raiders” Karen Allen.
    While interviewing Kaufman a few years back, I asked if he knew anything about Friedrich’s whereabouts, but he was as clueless as IMDB where his resume just stops around 1982.
    I’m thinking that he may have died of AIDS, yet there’s no mention of that on IMDB, or anywhere else for that matter. (No obit in Variety either.)
    Can anyone help?

  20. crazycris says:

    I’m more interested in the happenings of the small screen than the big one lately. Nothing interesting in cinemas until May…
    Still 2 weeks until the return of Galactica… time goes by waaaay to slowly! And wtf happened to Jericho? It’s getting cancelled again?! stupid networks… just as I was allowing myself to get hooked on the first season since I knew there was a 2nd one to look forward to…
    Anyone else keeping their fingers crossed for a Fall return of the Sarah Connor Chronicles?

  21. movieman says:

    I know that a lot of people on here have been working themselves into a lather over Haneke’s U.S. remake of “Funny Games” (having seen and admired the original, the new version felt like one giant shrug to me), but has anyone caught the trailer for “The Strangers” yet?
    It seems to have a similar premise to “FG,” but feels like a more conventional, albeit (I hope) highly effective “thriller.”
    Considering its “Wow; I want to see that!” trailer, I’m a little surprised this has been collecting dust for awhile. If I’m not mistaken, it was originally scheduled for release last fall.

  22. Lota says:

    that’s so funny THX I just bought that on Amazon too! To be honest, Deckard as a human who is acting “like” a replicant (since he’s a troubled human) at the beginning then becoming more Mensch by the end is a much better premise than he’s a replicant, period. I prefer the old voice over version, as cheezy as it is because then I can have sympathy/empathy for Deckard which is really required to enjoy the movie fully I feel. SO the final cut is okay and the voice over preferred (for me) but I don;t like what was touted as the “director’s cut”s for so long, before this Final cut was redone.
    The special visuals and sound are lovely.
    Stick with the first or the last.

  23. Hallick says:

    This should answer most of your John Friedrich questions. He isn’t dead or dying (at least as of the pub date on this blog):
    http://lunchmeatsbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2007/05/zorich-is-alive-and-well.html

  24. Blackcloud says:

    LexG is a parody of a parody of someone who gets Nietzsche ass backwards.

  25. movieman says:

    Hallick- A huge thanks for posting that link!
    You don’t know how many times I’ve wondered what became of Friedrich. He was actually the first actor I ever interviewed way back in March 1980 when he was in NYC promoting “Small Circle” (and staying with Karen Allen at her Village apartment).
    I was just an NYU Cinema Studies brat at the time, but he was so gracious, kind (and generous with his time: I think we must’ve spent two+ hours in a St. Marks coffee shop just shooting the breeze).
    So glad to hear that he’s alive, well and apparently very happy.
    Hopefully he’ll give acting another try sometime soon.

  26. Me says:

    I picked up the 4-disc DVD version of Blade Runner and tend to agree that I liked the voiceover narration one the best. In watching some of the deleted scenes with more narration, it felt like they were trying to build a back story for the Ford character that plainly wasn’t on Ridley Scott’s mind when he was making the film. It’s a shame they didn’t spend more time getting that right, rather than fighting over it, as it really could have created an emotional center that was plainly missing from the film.
    As for me, I only like the film if he’s a human.

  27. Joe Leydon says:

    Now that Vantage Point has grossed worldwide more than 2 1/2 times its production cost, is it safe to call it one of the first sleeper hits of the year?

  28. IOIOIOI says:

    Joe; INDEED! Jeffy Mac; if you are referring to me. You best look in the mirrour, son. You make good church going catholics call you a motherfucker. That’s impressive! Lex is at least interesting. While you are just… whatever it is you are. Finally; “LexG is a parody of a parody of someone who gets Nietzsche ass backwards.” No; he does not have a stick in his ass like many people who visit this blog.

  29. Aris P says:

    The character of Decker makes no sense if he’s not human. And neither would Roy’s final soliloquy, nor would numerous plot points for that matter.
    Is that ultimate edition with the suitcase available anymore?
    Happy Easter everyone.

  30. Jimmy the Gent says:

    The link on the front of MCN to Weinstein/Marley story is wrong. It goes to the China?Art story. Can someone fix it?
    I would like to know whatever happend to Eric Gury. He played Horowitz to Sean Penn’s O’Brien in Bad Boys. He was also Pacino’s son in the underrated Author! Author! I always thought he was a natural comic actor. Looking at his work in those two movies now, he strikes me as an early version of Michael Imperioli.
    Anyone have any ideas where he’s at?

  31. movieman says:

    That’s a fairly safe assumption, Joe. I guess you can fool some of the people all of the time. huh?
    But don’t forget “27 Dresses,” 2008’s 1st bonafire sleeper hit and a genuinely fun, satisfying movie.
    “Definitely Maybe”‘s failure to duplicate the success of the Heigl flick was a big disappointment, though. I thought it was one of the freshest, most enjoyable romcoms in recent years.
    And I was sorry to see “Charlie Bartlett” sink like a stone: that’s another movie that deserved better, and might have been a sleeper hit at a different (pre-“Juno”?) time. Maybe MGM should have opened it last August after all.
    The sustained strength of “Bank Job” continues to impress me big-time.
    I wonder what might have happened if Lionsgate had actually committed to a wide(r) break on March 7th.
    Looks like they may have dropped the ball on this one.
    You’ve gotta give Sony credit for milking a decent gross out of the indifferently reviewed “The Other Boleyn Girl.” Again I’m wondering, though, if it might have even gone further if it had opened on 2000+ screens February 29th.

  32. Mr. Gittes says:

    In Bruges is a really, really good movie. Farrell’s performance is Oscar worthy and the third act is incredible. Is this not the best movie of the year so far? Me thinks In Bruges will gain the cult status as, say, Boondock Saints…except In Bruges is actually a good movie.

  33. LexG says:

    That was actually interesting about John Friedrich, whose work I’ll confess I’m unfamiliar with. But I’d really like to see “A Small Circle of Friends.” Is it on DVD? Probably not. Rob Cohen often gets lumped in with a lot of contemporary action junkie directors, but he actually has a fairly interesting and varied resume. Obviously a really smart guy who’s been around the biz in a lot of capacities going back a long way.
    Eric Gury was indeed awesome in Bad Boys, and Author! Author! was a staple of mid-80s HBO.
    My two WHAT HAPPENED TO…? contenders are William Ostrander, who played the AWESOME and menacing BUDDY REPPERTON in CHRISTINE, and PAUL DRAKE, who played the terrifying, sniveling lead villain in SUDDEN IMPACT.
    REPPERTON had a few big credits in the mid-80s (Mike’s Murder, North and South II), then pretty much disappeared, showing up for like a split-second as basically a day player in MULHOLLAND DR. NO idea what his story is.
    Drake was the strip club robber in the first BEVERLY HILLS COP, and showed up opposite Richard Widmark in some made-for-HBO movie… don’t know what he’s done since.
    ELAH OWNS YOUR ASS, except for the Haggis-handed subplot about Charlize’s coworkers harassing her, and until that MESSAGE! flag shit at the end, which doubly annoys for being accompanied by that AWFUL, AWFUL song.

  34. Joe Leydon says:

    Reason I ask about Vantage Point: Dennis Quaid strikes me as an actor who’s always taken for granted as solid, consistent and reliable, but rarely given due the props he deserves by critcis. At the same time, though, I think he — like Jeff Bridges to a large degree — represents “quality” to a certain segment of the moviegoung public, and usually can be counted on to draw a healthy share of the grown-up audience. No, he couldn’t do much for American Dreamz or The Alamo — but look at The Rookie, In Good Company and even the Your Mine & Ours remake. (I think Armond White and I may be the only people in the world who’d argue that the Flight of the Phoenix remake — with Quaid in the James Stewart role — actually is superior to the original directed by Robert Aldrich.) Acording to IMDB, Quaid will have no fewer than four movies out this year. Obviously, some people are very impressed with his work.

  35. RocketScientist says:

    Movieman: I think you’re dead-on about THE STRANGERS as a more conventional FUNNY GAMES. Interesting to note that THE STRANGERS has been on Rogue’s release list since, oh, about the time of HOT FUZZ. It has a good trailer and a great one-sheet, so I’m being cautious.
    Also, anyone familiar with AMUSEMENT? It looks like a typical SAW clone, except it’s being released by … Picturehouse, the same folks bringing us KITT KITTREDGE. They did well with THE ORPHANAGE and PAN’S LABYRINTH, no doubt, but delving into what, for all intents and purposes, looks like watered down torture porn? Best left to the After Dark Films of the world.

  36. LexG says:

    The STRANGERS trailer IS effective, but I wonder if it’s not just 100% the sound effects and the FILM STUCK IN THE GATE trick that makes it so awesome, more than any particular disturbing imagery or unique style.
    You could probably do that shutter trick to NACHO LIBRE and make it look scarifying.
    Still, nice to see Liv Tyler in a big movie again; Was a huge fan during her ingenue era of the mid-90s, but she seems to have gone the Ione Skye route this decade, LOTR films excepted.

  37. THX5334 says:

    Yeah, I got the HD-DVD suitcase version for $45 on Amazon. I think it’s about $65 + change for Blu-Ray on Amazon…
    Having the suitcase version made me think of digital downloads as content you own.
    I realized, with the packaging, I still REALLY LIKE having cool physical merchandise. I dig the case and all the extra crap that came with it. I dig the artwork on the cover of the DVD case to display on my shelf almost as if its it’s own artwork…
    That being said, I never would’ve paid the MSRP of $99 for this set.
    But for $45 it was perfect.
    Inside all the swag is the same packaged HD-DVD/Blu-Ray collector’s edition found on shelves.
    Then I realized that all the bonus merchandise/packaging is the same as the Blu-Ray, so if my HD-DVD ever goes down, I’ll just pick up the Blu-Ray version, slip it in the case, and voila, fixed.
    I’m gonna watch the cut with the VO narration tonight. I remember really liking it too. Though I’m a big Ford fan and I remember him hating the narration, so I haven’t checked it since.
    There’s still a dearth of titles on the format though.
    I don’t know why the studios aren’t releasing bigger back catalogue titles and milk this format while they can..

  38. LexG says:

    Also, is there always this glut of interchangable chick-horror movies this time of year? In the course of rougly one month, I count:
    Shutter
    The Ruins
    Prom Night
    The Strangers
    As for Prom Night, is it a remake of the Jamie Lee Curtis film, or did they just take the title? The trailer seems to suggest it has a similar plot, but most media mentions of it (in spring movie previews and the like), don’t mention the earlier film.
    Also: STREET KINGS… ANY buzz on this whatsoever? I’m a huge fan of LA crime movies, so I’m predisposed to like it, but on the other hand David Ayer could seriously use some new material.

  39. Joe Leydon says:

    Is Street Kings the one that has Dr. House as a badass LAPD captain? Then I am so there.

  40. OddDuck says:

    When is Keanu Reaves gonna make a non-terrible movie again? Admittedly, the majority of his films have sucked, but he’s proven more than few times that he can associate himself with quality.
    I still have a glimmmer of hope that Street Kings is some kind of overachieving b-movie triumph like Training Day, but we all know it won’t be.

  41. jeffmcm says:

    Lex, thanks for acting like an actual human being instead of a roid-rage self parody for your posts today.

  42. movieman says:

    Lex- “Small Circle” is indeed on DVD (Amazon lists 41 new or used copies starting at $5.97!).
    Quite honestly, I haven’t seen the film in years, but I remember being very moved by it back in college. Of course, it’s a campus love story set against the backdrop of the student revolutionary movement of the 60s, so I could’ve just been predisposed to liking it. Btw, pre-tube stardom Jameson Parker and Shelley Long are both in the film as well.
    And yeah, Rob Cohen’s pre-“Stealth” ouevre has a few gems sprinkled in there. I’ve always had a soft spot for Cohen’s “Scandalous” with Robert (“Airplane!”) Hays myself.
    I agree with Dennis Quaid being consistently underrated, Joe. I’ve been a D/Quaid fan since “September 39, 1955.” Not sure how much of a b.o. draw he really is, though. His hit movies seem to have succeeded primarily because of easily exploitable, high-concept premises (e.g., “Vantage Point” and “The Rookie”).
    And the ones that didn’t fly (“American Dreamz” for starters) were just harder for audiences to get a handle on.
    I have no doubt that the majority of moviegoers–men and women alike–dig Quaid, tho. He’s been one of the most consistently likable (and dependably good) American movie actors for decades.
    I’m just not sure whether they’ll go out of their way to see a new flick just because he’s in it.
    And yep, the same holds true for Jeff Bridges.
    I don’t know anyone who’s ever said a bad word about him (certainly not me: I’ve championed Bridges as America’s finest working actor for years), but most of his films, alas, have tanked, even great Bridges ones like “Door in the Floor,” “Fabulous Baker Boys” and “Big Lebowski” (which at least found cult immortality once it hit video).
    “Street Kings” looks kind of neat (the cast is certainly an intriguingly eclectic mix), but I’m worried that–after “Harsh Times” and “Training Day”–Ayer has gone to the same well one time too many. But I’ve always gotta give props to my boy Chris (“London” rocks!) Evans!
    It’s not the soud effects or the film stuck in the gate trick that makes “The Strangers” trailer so creepily and effective: it’s those ****ing masks worn by the home invaders. That is some freaky shit!
    I’ve always assumed that “Prom Night ’08” was a remake of the 1980 Jamie Lee Curtis “PN.”
    Gotta say that the trailer makes it actually look kind of sweet for a PG-13 teen slasher flick, tho–or maybe it’s just the presence of Idris Elba.
    Could this be that rare remake that actually improves upon the sub-mediocre original?

  43. LexG says:

    Jameson Parker? Awesome!
    And, dude… “LONDON” OWNS. Biel. Bryant. Fisher. Sobieski. SO much hotness, plus the awesome duo of Evans and Statham acting their asses off, Dane Cook being genuinely hilarious…
    …pity about the PHONY-ASS WIGS, though.

  44. scooterzz says:

    i saw ‘street kings’ last week and thought it to be alright…impressive cast (common might have a movie career ahead of him) and some good action….
    lex– i believe you will say it ‘OWNS’….
    sidenote– during my interview with common, discovered he’s a long-time member of obama’s church and a staunch defender of rev. wright…i know it means nothing but i found it interesting….

  45. Joe Leydon says:

    Scoot: So how is Dr. House?

  46. THX5334 says:

    Watching Adams Family Values on Universal HD…
    One of the few movies where the sequel clearly outshines the original, and also one of the most underrated comedies in my opinion…

  47. scooterzz says:

    joe — dr. house is good (he plays an i.a. captain in a division so full of dirty cops it makes l.a.’s rampart look like a sunday school)… everybody is pretty good, it’s just that the film ia quite a bit over the top….(i wasn’t joking…this movie is gonna OWN lexg)…
    i didn’t hang around for laurie’s press conference as junket p.c.’s tend to be a little embarassing (but you know that)…..

  48. Joe Leydon says:

    Movieman: I agree, Quaid and Bridges aren’t major box-office draws. But I think their presence in certain movies can make a difference. Just like I think that James Garner may have been more a draw for The Notebook than many people might think.

  49. THX, totally agreed about AFV. Ricci gave the best supporting performance from that year, followed by Anna Pacquin. What was up with the kids that year? Crazy good. Joan Cusack is also very amazing in it.
    Movieman, maybe they’re trying to tone down the remake aspect? I dunno. When it was in development I believe the original was always mentioned. Unless it’s like When a Stranger Calls. Taking the title and then just kind of taking the good bits and remaking them?
    I sometimes wonder if LexG and IO are for real. I mean, London? Just because it has hot people in it? If nothing else, they’re devoted to their cause of being tools. And was you “what have you done today to be superior” speech directed at me or just the general populus of people who don’t fuck (or don’t care to fuck) skinny boney models? You posted it right after a reply of mine, and I can’t see how it fit into any of the conversation tangents that were going on.

  50. I’m soooo perturbed by THE RUINS as I loved that book. It looks like they stripped it of all it’s freaky, fear of foreigners/ language barrier/communication issues and made a straight up horror film with no depth whatsoever. BOoooo.
    I’ll still see it, but I’m not expecting much 🙁

  51. Noah says:

    I still have high hopes for The Ruins, Petaluma. It was adapted by the author Scott Smith. And the last time he adapted one of his own works, it was A Simple Plan. I think the trailer is designed to get the kiddies in, but I have no doubt that Smith did justice to his own work. The only issue I have is that I had imagined such a different world in my head…the actual set with the tent and the hole and everything looks strange to me.

  52. Hallick says:

    It looks like this is what Eric Gurry (Bad Boys) is doing nowadays. Couldn’t find a current pic to confirm it, but his IMDb has a couple of factoids that make it probable (depending on the reliability of IMDb and all):
    http://www.akoyacapital.com/gurry

  53. Hallick says:

    And this is the William Ostrander (Christine) blurb from IMDb:
    “As of 2007, he lives on the California coast with his wife and three sons on a ranch. He owns his own contracting business. He didn’t find acting to be as fulfilling as he had hoped, so he only does it on occasion.”

  54. jeffmcm says:

    The Ruins is based on a book?!

  55. LexG says:

    More like Jena Mal-OWN.

  56. jeffmcm says:

    Everybody hates you.

  57. christian says:

    “Does anyone else watch BIG BROTHER>”
    Lex, only if they are living lives of quiet desperation. Or in your case, loud desperation.
    I always liked Quaid, from BREAKING AWAY and EVEN JAWS 3-D to THE BIG EASY and a personal favorite, INNER-SPACE.

  58. Blackcloud says:

    “Lex, only if they are living lives of quiet desperation. Or in your case, loud desperation.”
    Mwahaha, Lex got OWNED!!!1!

  59. lazarus says:

    Hey Lex, if I wanted to watch Tony Scott’s Domino over and over again, I would. I don’t need to read the blog comment equivalent here every day. Your schtick isn’t as cute as Keira Knightley, either. Jeff, I’ll be more than happy to contribute a set of brass knuckles to your face-punching endeavor.
    I had no idea The Ruins was from the mind of Scott Smith. I loved A Simple Plan, and am a HUGE fan of Keith Gordon’s underrated Waking The Dead.
    The film looks baaaaaad in the trailers, though. I’m still going to wait for the reviews.

  60. LexG says:

    Another satisfied customer. Glad to see someone else is hanging on every word.
    I find it amusing that jeff, who’s repeatedly commented on my supposed split Internet personality, can go from civil discussion about movies and ENCOURAGING ME TO START A BLOG, to threats and insults, totally without provocation.
    You don’t think I’m funny? Fine. Just hate what I write or how I write it? I’m actually fine with that, too. Sure, Jeff is sometimes easy to bait and I’d be disingenuous if I said I hadn’t strung him along in various threads, but I’ve also enjoyed debating with him… I certainly don’t “hate” him or want to “brass knuckle” anybody. I actually rather like Blackcloud.
    You can consider this a temporary drop of the facade, a bitch-out, or just a time-out in between me OWNING YOUR ASSES, which I can gladly resume, but before this animosity builds to an even more unpleasant level, just putting it out there that it’s not coming from anyplace serious on this end.

  61. L.B. says:

    No way. Really? You mean I can’t be a god?
    Shit. Now I have to tell the supermodel to go home.
    (Now I know how Obama feels. You take a guy as your spiritual advisor and then one day he just…oh, never mind.)

  62. Blackcloud says:

    Lex, thanks for the kind words. Just doing my part to pretend to be as offended as you pretend to be offensive. Definitely nothing personal. Normal service can resume in the morning.

  63. jeffmcm says:

    Lex, when the facade cracks you’re a perfectly good, intelligent poster. The rest of the time you’re a Saturday Night Live character that was good in one or two skits transplanted into a feature-length film.

  64. LexG says:

    This BYOB is days-old and all over the map, and D-Po will probably start a new one soon enough, but I’ll just throw this out…
    Finally saw Rendition last week on DVD; Can’t remember what the consensus was here at the time it came out. I know it tanked and wasn’t particuarly well regarded, but I actually quite liked it, flaws and all…
    but something is nagging me about the “cool” narrative trick that they spring at the 11th hour. Those who’ve seen it will know what I mean, and I was fooled by it… it’s almost but not quite worthy of Chris Nolan, sort of reminiscent of a key bait-and-switch in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and DEFINITELY similarly to two Tony Gilroy scripts from last year…
    Hardly a Tyler Durden reveal, but still kind of a show stopper…. and yet I’m troubled by whether a movie with such serious intentions and Haggis-style melodramatic cues should’ve depended on a bait-and-switch gimmick.

  65. jeffmcm says:

    I actually had a Loch Ness-esque David Poland sighting tonight, at Amoeba, buying an armful of DVDs. I would have introduced myself but I feared the tremendous sigh and eye-roll that I think would have been the reaction.

  66. doug r says:

    All this love for Dennis Quaid, and no one mentions one of his best, Frequency?
    Speaking of that genre, when is anyone going to make a movie based on Heinlein’s “All You Zombies”? Besides that Futurama episode, BTW.

  67. movieman says:

    Quaid is quite good in Miramax’s upcoming “Smart People,” too.
    Unfortunately the movie itself isn’t anything special: it feels a bit like an American indie film equivalent to a Chinese take-out menu (one from column A; two from column B, etc.)
    Not helping the movie’s cause is that it begs comparison with an infinitely better dramedy shot in Pittsburgh that also dealt with the worlds of academia and literature (Curtis Hanson’s terrific, if sadly underrated Michael Chabon adaptation, “Wonder Boys”).
    And Ellen Page had better watch herself. One more outing as a glibly hyper-articulate, post-ironic teen and audiences will start confusing her with Juno MacGuff. She’s too young and talented to get typecast so early in her career.
    On the bright side, at least Page’s character doesn’t get knocked up this time.

  68. JBM... says:

    LexG: My brother and I went on a “three-movie binge” that October Saturday. Saw 30 Days of Night, Rendition and Gone Baby Gone. Rendition was by far the weakest of the three. As soon as the…”time-loop”…happened, we were dying. I can’t remember a movie from last year that pissed me off so much.

  69. movieman says:

    I finally caught up with Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales” over the weekend–I’d pre-ordered it months ago on Amazon, but didn’t have the requisite three hours+ to watch the movie and extras until now–and I’m still a little giddy.
    Anyone who doesn’t dig “Southland” just doesn’t like movies; period.
    Of course not everything works (I would have certainly appreciated a tad more narrative clarity), but it’s impossible not to be in awe of Kelly’s level of ambition and, yes, achievement.
    Like “Donnie Darko”–which is still my favorite American movie of the decade–it’s destined to become a cult classic for the ages.

Leonard Klady's Friday Estimates
Friday Screens % Chg Cume
Title Gross Thtr % Chgn Cume
Venom 33 4250 NEW 33
A Star is Born 15.7 3686 NEW 15.7
Smallfoot 3.5 4131 -46% 31.3
Night School 3.5 3019 -63% 37.9
The House Wirh a Clock in its Walls 1.8 3463 -43% 49.5
A Simple Favor 1 2408 -50% 46.6
The Nun 0.75 2264 -52% 111.5
Hell Fest 0.6 2297 -70% 7.4
Crazy Rich Asians 0.6 1466 -51% 167.6
The Predator 0.25 1643 -77% 49.3
Also Debuting
The Hate U Give 0.17 36
Shine 85,600 609
Exes Baggage 75,900 62
NOTA 71,300 138
96 61,600 62
Andhadhun 55,000 54
Afsar 45,400 33
Project Gutenberg 36,000 17
Love Yatri 22,300 41
Hello, Mrs. Money 22,200 37
Studio 54 5,300 1
Loving Pablo 4,200 15
3-Day Estimates Weekend % Chg Cume
No Good Dead 24.4 (11,230) NEW 24.4
Dolphin Tale 2 16.6 (4,540) NEW 16.6
Guardians of the Galaxy 7.9 (2,550) -23% 305.8
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4.8 (1,630) -26% 181.1
The Drop 4.4 (5,480) NEW 4.4
Let's Be Cops 4.3 (1,570) -22% 73
If I Stay 4.0 (1,320) -28% 44.9
The November Man 2.8 (1,030) -36% 22.5
The Giver 2.5 (1,120) -26% 41.2
The Hundred-Foot Journey 2.5 (1,270) -21% 49.4